LGPL clarification

[John Cowan]

Bryan George wrote:
 
> If I create and distribute a license which is a "derivative work" based
> on the LGPL without permission from the FSF, I could be sued for
> copyright violation.  I couldn't claim "fair use" exemption either,
> since the license would benefit commercial interests.

Right.

> Under current copyright law, reproducing a similar concept, even using
> different language, would be a violation once I've been exposed to the
> original work,

You are overgeneralizing from the case of software to the much broader
case of natural-language text.  Writing a work on French history does
not require that you have never read any books about French history!
It merely requires that you express the borrowed ideas in your own
words, organization, etc.

> so I couldn't write a license from scratch that resembled
> the LGPL either without FSF permission.

It couldn't substantially incorporate the *text* of the LGPL.  But it
could use the same *ideas* as the LGPL in your own words.

>  Given that the probability that
> FSF would give that permission to someone outside FSF is roughly, oh,
> zero,

Actually not true.  The FSF *has* authorized the creations of variant
GPLs and LGPLs before, with a change of name of course.

> Seriously, though, if there are copyright issues involved with license
> surgery, I'd like more information on what they are and how to avoid
> them.

One thing you can do is add a statement to the documentation of your
library stating that section N of the LGPL does not apply
to the library.

But I think the GPL + "you can link this with any program without infecting
that program with the GPL" will serve you better, because it is simpler
and clearer.

The LGPL isn't all it's cracked up to be.

-- 
There is / one art                   || John Cowan <jcowan at reutershealth.com>
no more / no less                    || http://www.reutershealth.com
to do / all things                   || http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
with art- / lessness                 \\ -- Piet Hein